Taking Charge of Your Career (HBR Women at Work Series)

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What to Do When You Don’t Feel Valued at Work

by Rebecca Knight

It’s no fun to toil away at a job where your efforts go unnoticed. How can you highlight your achievements without bragging about your work? Who should you talk to about feeling underappreciated? And if the situation doesn’t change, how long should you stay?

What the Experts Say

“There’s nothing worse than feeling unseen and unheard in the workplace,” says Annie McKee, author of How to Be Happy at Work. “We all have a human need to be appreciated for our efforts, and so when your colleagues don’t notice [your contributions], it makes you feel as though you don’t belong.” You might also start to worry—justifiably—about your potential professional advancement. “Self-doubt starts ...